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2009

Autism marked by altered trajectory of brain growth
Although the head overall is bigger in some children with autism, researchers have found more informative differences in size — some smaller, some larger — across regions of the brain.
Point mutation in neuroligin found in brothers with autism
A new mutation in the neuroligin-4 (NLGN4) gene, one of the few genes convincingly tied to autism, has been found in two brothers with autism, further implicating the gene in the disorder, scientists reported in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Amygdala found to govern notion of personal space
A report in the October issue of Nature Neuroscience says the amygdala — the brain region that controls emotions, as well as the way individuals interpret and respond to social situations and recognize possible threats — governs the preference for personal space.
MeCP2 loss leads to smaller neurons in brain region
Deleting MeCP2, the gene that's mutated in Rett syndrome, alters both the size and function of neurons in the mouse brain — at least in one brain region, the locus ceruleus — according to a September 30 report in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Only subset of chromosome 16 variants linked to autism
Deletions or duplications of chromosomal segment 16p11.2 — previously reported as a key autism region — are seen in people with developmental delays and speech and behavioral problems, but not necessarily autism. That's the finding from two large studies published last week of people carrying these rare genetic variations.
Loss of inhibitory neurons marks autism mouse models
Autism may be the result of faulty wiring that occurs during early brain development, according to two independent studies that looked at the origins of circuit disruption.
Baby sib studies reveal differences in brain response
Studies on younger siblings of children with autism are finding that during tests of sensory or perceptual processing, these baby sibs show abnormally fast brain responses, rather than a delay.
Autism shares features with cerebellar syndromes
There are clinical, anatomical and genetic overlaps between autism and certain rare developmental disorders of the cerebellum, and these disorders may help understand autism, according to several studies published in the past year.
Mounting evidence fingers mitochondria in autism risk
Using new genetic screening technology, a few research groups are finding that a surprisingly large number of children with autism — at least five percent — have an underlying problem with their mitochondria, the energy factories of the cell.
Pupil response to light could be biomarker for autism
The pupils of children with autism contract more slowly in response to flashes of light than those of their healthy peers, according to findings published in the November issue of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Chemical messenger variant found in families with autism
Scientists have for the first time found direct evidence that defects in the GABA receptor sometimes give rise to autism, according to research published 24 November in Molecular Psychiatry.
Genome scan links chromosome 5 to autism
A detailed genetic scan of families with autism has found a region on chromosome 5 that is strongly associated with autism, and two new genomic areas that may harbor rare variants relevant to the disorder, according to a study in Nature.
Common mutations in Rett gene alter brain size
Small, common variations in MeCP2 can subtly affect brain structure even in normal individuals, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Chromosome 16 changes linked to myriad disorders
Small chromosomal changes found in about one percent of children with autism may manifest themselves as different neurological or psychiatric conditions in other individuals, according to a new study by Canadian researchers.
New blood test measures levels of fragile X protein
A new molecular screen allows researchers to determine for the first time the precise amounts of FMRP protein, whose absence in the brain causes fragile X syndrome.
Family ties compel some scientists to tackle autism
Many autism researchers began studying the disorder after a loved one’s diagnosis, but some struggle with the decision to enroll their children in studies.
Autism impedes ability to read body language
A glitch in visual processing may explain why people with autism struggle to gauge emotions from the body language of others, according to a study published in the journal Neuropsychologia.   Watch the video
Imaging study ties brain connection to sociability
Scientists have linked a person's social ability with the strength of a specific connection between two areas deep within the brain.
Virtual games teach real-world skills to kids with autism
Astropolis, a dynamic video game, allows for the unprecedented testing of children with autism on a variety of cognitive skills, all at once, without the artificial, boring and anxiety-ridden setup of a typical psychology lab.
New autism risk genes may bolster fetal testosterone theory
A team of British researchers has garnered some of the first genetic evidence supporting their theory that sex hormones play a role in the development of autism.
Angelman syndrome gene tied to brain's adaptability
A gene linked to autism and other developmental disorders can undermine the brain’s ability to change the strength of connections between neurons.
Laser technique pins source of brain waves linked to autism
Researchers have for the first time identified the type of neurons that produce gamma rhythms, the high-frequency brain waves that are thought to go awry in autism and schizophrenia.
Study links autism to stem cell development
The molecular defects that cause some cases of autism may arise during the development of neuronal stem cells, according to a new theory bolstered by several independent animal and human studies.
New 'mirror neurons' reflect the attention of others
Studying a new type of mirror neuron may help researchers better understand the brain impairments underlying characteristic deficits of autism.
Study identifies brain signatures of motor deficits in autism
Children with autism rely on conscious planning, rather than habit, to control their movements, according to the first brain imaging study to examine motor performance in the disorder.
New autism gene points to cellular calcium imbalance
A common variant of a gene called CACNA1G — which makes a channel that helps regulate calcium flow between cells — may increase the risk of developing autism, according to research published in Molecular Psychiatry.
Studies of brain structure boost 'connectivity theory' of autism
The brains of people with autism have structural abnormalities that disrupt normal connections between brain regions and impede the flow of information across the brain. That's the conclusion of a 20-year-old theory supported by several new studies.
Schizophrenia risk genes tied to immunity, autism
Several new genetic variants associated with schizophrenia lie in regions important for immune function and associated with autism. This suggests that both disorders stem partly from abnormal activation of the immune system, say some researchers.
Gene ties trust hormone to Williams syndrome and autism
Studying the relatively well-defined genetics of Williams syndrome may help unravel the poorly understood genetic and neurobiological roots of autism, researchers say.
Study raises questions about autism-gut connection
Children with autism are no more likely than healthy children to have some of the gastrointestinal symptoms — such as diarrhea, acid reflux and abdominal discomfort — previously tied to the disorder, according to one of the first long-term investigations of the supposed link.
Atomic close-up of brain proteins hints at diversity of autism
Scientists have unveiled the complete structure of an interwoven complex of two types of brain proteins necessary for forming and maintaining connections between neurons.
X chromosome helps unravel complex genetics of autism
Genetic studies to date have identified variations linked to autism in 21 of the 23 human chromosomes. Now, using a variety of new, high-resolution techniques, scientists are mining one of these chromosomes — the X — for a more comprehensive set of genetic anomalies associated with the disorder.
Brain images uncover candidate genes for schizophrenia, autism
Applying an emerging technique that combines genetic data and brain scans, researchers have identified two new genes involved in schizophrenia. The method, called ‘imaging genetics’, holds promise for linking genes to brain function in complex psychiatric disorders, including autism.
Visual contrast drives face recognition, study finds
The answer to a long-standing mystery in visual neuroscience may also help explain how people with autism perceive faces, according to a study published in March in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Screen for autism risk genes finds two new candidates
Scientists have found a handful of genes — including two that had not previously been associated with autism — that may increase risk of the disorder.
Eye-tracking brings focus to 'theory of mind'
People with Asperger syndrome don't automatically show 'theory of mind', the ability to understand the desires and beliefs of others, according to a report published 16 July in Science. Instead, they seem to use deliberate reasoning to understand social behaviors, learned after years of practice in the real world.   Watch the video
Autism mouse model debuts with common genetic flaw
Scientists have genetically engineered a new mutant mouse that shows social abnormalities and learning and memory problems reminiscent of autism, according to a study published 26 June in Cell.
Antidepressant does not relieve repetitive behaviors
The popular antidepressant Celexa is no better than placebo at reducing repetitive behaviors in children with autism, according to a study published this month in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Genetic changes during cell splitting may lead to autism
Spontaneous deletions and duplications of DNA, which appear with greater frequency in people with autism, sometimes arise after conception, according to a new article from Molecular Psychiatry.
Genome-wide study fingers first common risk factors for autism
Autism results from a diverse mix of common and rare genetic variants, many of which act in pathways that form and maintain connections between neurons. That's the message from the largest genome-wide association studies of autism to date, published online today in Nature.
Amygdala in autistic brains may not adapt to social stimuli
The characteristic inability of a person with autism to respond to emotions may stem from sustained arousal in the amygdala, the brain region needed to interpret emotions from facial expressions.
Fragile X protein may control sleep span, study suggests
The genetic culprit in fragile X syndrome — a form of mental retardation frequently accompanied by autism — can alter how much fruit flies sleep, according to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Experts question study touting hyperbaric therapy for autism
A much-publicized study reporting social and cognitive improvements in children with autism who breathed pure oxygen in a high-pressure chamber has met with skepticism from other autism researchers.
Fragile X 'granules' provide clues to autism
Newly discovered clusters of proteins in the brains of mice might help researchers understand how connections between neurons go awry in disorders such as mental retardation and autism.
Scandinavian registries boost autism research
Every baby born in Denmark, within the first few days of life, receives a unique, 10-digit identification number. The babyʼs name and number become a part of the Danish Medical Birth Registry, a comprehensive electronic record of the birth details ― from birth weight and length to parents' smoking habits ― established in 1968.
Autism often accompanied by 'super vision', studies find
'Eagle-eyed' vision, characteristic of many people on the autism spectrum, stems at least in part from abnormal variations in the early stages of visual processing, according to two reports published in the January issue of Biological Psychiatry.
Antidepressant proves ineffective at treating autism symptoms
The sponsors of the largest clinical trial of a treatment for autism on 18 February revealed disheartening results: fluoxetine ― commonly marketed as the antidepressant Prozac ― is no more effective than placebo at reducing repetitive behaviors in children with autism.
Study says Rett gene's role in glia, not neurons, is crucial
MeCP2, the gene that causes the autism-related Rett syndrome, is expressed not just in neurons but in glia ― cells that support neurons and help process information ― in the brain, according to a study published online in the March issue of Nature Neuroscience.
Search for autism biomarkers turns to saliva
The saliva of roughly two-thirds of people on the autism spectrum contains abnormal chemical variations in small proteins, called peptides, according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of Proteome Research.
Stimulus money set to fund autism research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) yesterday committed $60 million from the stimulus package to fund research goals for autism laid out in the first federal 'strategic plan' for autism research. That plan, published 5 March, and crafted by a federal advisory panel over the past year, recommends 40 research studies with a projected cost of $800 million over the next decade.
Children with autism found to rely on sight-sound synchrony
Most young animals, from newly hatched chicks to 2-day-old humans, are exquisitely sensitive to the movements of other animals. But 2-year-old children with autism don't pay special attention to this so-called 'biological motion', according to a study published today in Nature.
Rett gene in amygdala linked to fear and learning
Deleting the gene associated with Rett syndrome from the amygdala region of mouse brains triggers anxiety and problems with learning and memory, according to research published today in the Journal of Neuroscience.
New EEG analysis captures coordination among brain regions
A new way of analyzing the data gathered from electroencephalography (EEG) ― a non-invasive technique that measures brain waves through the scalp ― provides much more information about how brain regions coordinate with one another than standard EEG analysis.
Autism gene linked to gut woes
A single gene variant is found more often in people who have both autism and gastrointestinal problems than in healthy controls, and could help explain the mysterious link between autism and the gut, according to a study published in the March issue of Pediatrics.
Chromosome 15 region associated with autism also linked to epilepsy
A specific deletion on chromosome 15 occurs in one percent of people with a common form of epilepsy, establishing the mutation as the most common risk factor for the disorder, according to research published online January 11 in Nature Genetics.
High fetal testosterone triggers autism, British group says
In the past few years, studies have linked various chromosomal regions, candidate genes and copy number variations to a higher risk of autism. But none of those findings explain why the condition is four times more common in boys than in girls.
Autism research expected to prosper under Obama
At the height of his presidential campaign against Senator John McCain last July, Barack Obama declined the advocacy group Autism Society of Americaʼs invitation to discuss health reform at a town hall meeting. But in a written response, the then-Senator promised to increase federal funding for autism research and treatment to $1 billion each year by the end of his first term in office.
Imitative play improves symptoms of autism
Playing with a child who has autism can be a strange experience, even for a parent. When a mother drives a toy car on the ground, the child picks it up and spins the wheels; when she bounces the ball to her son, he puts it on his head and rocks back and forth; when she presents him with a new toy, he turns away.
Epilepsy drugs during pregnancy up the risk of autism
The risks of taking sodium valproate or VPA ― a commonly used antiepileptic drug ― during pregnancy may far outweigh the benefits, researchers are cautioning.